The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-20
SHOT DEAD In HIS SLEEP.
EDWARD THOMAS SLAIN BY HIS
15-YEAR-OLD STEPSON.

father-ThonaS' Cruel treatment or
His Wife the Cause Of the Crime The
Youthful Slayer Surrenders to the
Police-He Admits the Shooting, and
Tells Why He Did 1.-THE Coroner's
Investigation.
The little two-story frame house at the
southeast corner of Houston and President
streets, was the scene of a murder yesterday
that win rival in horror any that has oc-
CURED for long time. At 1:30 O'Clock the
Sunday quiet that brooded over the neigh
borhood was broken by two pistol Shots
Upon a bed in his house Edward
z. Thomas lay dead. 4 hole in his
right groin, and a little stream of
blood trucking from the wound, told
the story of how his life went out, but
no one knew then that the one who fired the
fatal shot was William Wingard, the dead
mans 15-year-old stepson. The shooting
was the elimination of long story---a tale
Of family disputes and of a wifes cruel
treatment.
THE FAMILY HISTORY.
About sixteen years ago Fannie Taut mar
ried a man named Wingard, by whom she
had two children. -Four years ago Wingard
died. and a year later his widow married
Edward Z, Thomas, in Beaufort. S. c. Soon
after their marriage they came to Savannah
and went to live with James A. Taut, the
father OF Mrs Thomas They remained
there until nine weeks ago, but their life was
by no means a happy one. Thomas was
given to drink and Mrs. Taut and he were
constantly quarreling, and these disputes
caused trouble between Thomas and his
wife Finally Thomas told his. wife that he
thought if they would go off and live by
-
disputes They took rooms in the house of
Mr.. Peter Murphy, where the tragedy oc-
CURED. There they lived until yesterday.
THE WIDOWS STORY
The story of the incidents that led to the
crime, as told by Mrs. Thomas at the Coro-
ner's inquest, is as follows: MY husband
worked all day Saturday. He came Fome
last night, but left the house and did not
return until II o'clock He had been drink
ing, but retired quietly, and did not awaken
until this morning. He took several drinks,
one before he got out of bed, and
sat down TO breakfast quarreling about
about one thing and another. After break
fast he went out several times, and each
time returned more under the influence of
iliquor The last time he came back he was
very full and he began cursing and abusing
me, and finally picked me up in his arms
and said he was going to throw me out of
the window / struggled to free myself,
and screamed as loud as | could, and he put
me down.
STRUCK HER WITH BROOM.
l started to run down stairs and he struck
me across the face with a broom. / went
down to the back steps and sat there crying
for a while. When l went back into the
house found him lying across the foot of
the bed. As l entered he ordered me to
leave the room.
/ had some berries in the house and /
took them to my mother, who lived
on East Boundary street near
Broughton, and asked her to
TO make me some pies. My sister noticed
the red mark on my face and asked me
what caused it. l told her that Ed. had
struck me with a broom. No one was in
the room but my mother and sister; l did
not see my son. | returned home in few
minutes and found my husband asleep
across the foot of the bed / lay down be-
side him and dozed for about half an hour
and then started down stairs to cook dinner
] met my son in the passage and took from
him basket in which were the pie and
package of sugar.
He BROUGHT THE PIE.
asked him, "Son. have you brought the
pier and he answered, Yes / then
asked what they were all doing at home,
and he replied nothing | thought that
he followed me, but as / set the basket
down in the dining room heard the report
of pistol. / ran out of the dining room
and met my son who was coming out of the
bedroom and tried to catch held of him.
said, MY God, Bessie, what did you do it
forg' He made no answer, but kept run
ring down stairs putting the pistol in his
pocket. | ran into the room and my hus-
band was sitting on the side of the bed
said. ..Oh, my God Ed!' He groaned and
laid back He did not utter q word ran
dead
Mrs Thomas further said that Thomas
and her son William had no difficulties, but
that the younger son, Thomas Wingard,
who is only IL years old, frequently quar-
relied, and about five months ago the boy
tried to stab her husband, but only grazed
his neck.
TIRE MURDER.
The older boy made surer work He Sc
cured the pistol from the trousers of a
butcher named Thomas f. Mitchell, who
slept in his fathers house He went to
MiSchell's room in the morning and awak-
ened him from his sleep to borrow the pistol.
Mitchell refused to lend it, and
said that he would not lend it to
anybody. Vineyard entered the room after
Mitchell had fallen to sleep again and took
the pistol, then got the basket from his
grandmother and sought his mother. After
delivering the basket to her he went up
stairs and entered the bedroom, where he
found Thomas lying asleep, with a news
paper resting on his stomach. Wingard
was not more than five feet away when he
entered the room. He fired and the ball
entered the mans right groin, severed the
femoral artery and emerged from the back.
GAVE HIMSELF UP.
Wingard ran down stairs, passed his
mother and ran to the home of his grand
father, where he told of his act. He asked
his grandfather to accompany him to the
police barracks, as he wanted to give himself
up On the way over he handed Mr.. Taut
the pistol and told him to keep it. At the
barracks he was cool and self-possessed
He told Sergeant Reilly at first that he had
had a difficulty with his stepfather and
wanted to give himself up Afterward he
said be had shot Thomas. Just before he
was taken to the cell he turned 10 his grand
father and said with the utmost unconcern,
Here is dime, grandpa; go and get me
some cigarettes
THE GRIEF-sTRICKEN WIDOW.
The grief of the widow while she was Civ
ing her testimony was something heart
rending She paced the floor and wrung
her hands, and between her sentences moan
ed pitifully, uttering the most touching
prayers. Now and then she turned toward
Il. 4.